Dessert Flower claimed the interests of Betofred 1000 guineas at Newmarket, maintaining her perfect record and continued Godolphin’s amazing weekend.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, who landed Guinea in the ruling party on Saturday, the chestnut was Ivans’ favourite under William Buick.
Buick was hunting for his first success in the race, and the duo led the group race on the far side as a handful of smaller challenges challenged him close.
Her key rival was the final stage Ollie Sangster flight, but when Desert Flower met the rising ground, she pushed away again and pulled all the candidates to win by length. Sangster also added the third place boiled down.
Appleby said: “It’s been a great weekend and I’m a really lucky person. It looks like there’s a lot of pressure outside, but it’s fun for me and I can talk to his Highness (Sheikh Mohammed) last night and today, and I can celebrate what we achieved and what Godolphin has achieved in America.
“Like I told a few people beforehand, I spoke to the American team this morning and said, ‘Thank you so much, you really tightened the screws a little.” I said, “I’m usually pretty cool.”
“But she is a filly, she deserves praise today, let’s not take it from her. She is an undefeated filly.
“She should stay even further and we were confident she would do it, but we’ll calm it all down and sort it all out in the next few weeks.”
The flight appeared to be moving forward in one stage, but Appleby added:
“At some point she’s a bit sticky, but with the dip here, especially on this fast ground, we knew we had to just go out and make it (running).
“I put her out, put her in rhythm and then you said you sat comfortably at the top of the dip.
Desert flowers are a favorite of Betofred Oaks in Epsom, and Appleby states:
Appleby paid tribute to Sheikh Mohammed’s enduring enthusiasm for creating and finding classic caliber competitors around the world.
He added: “The Kentucky Derby has been on his bucket list for over 30 years. He’s done so many other things, so it was a great feat, but he’s really passionate about it to do what was done this weekend.
“Thankfully, he keeps it every year, looking for a year, looking for a two year old. That’s amazing. We’re now having this success with a three year old, but he’s worried about a two year old because he knows they’re the future.”
Excited to make it a classic double, Buick said, “I’m a very happy guy. Congratulations to everyone, this means the world.
“I can’t put that into words to play the Guinea double, the Kentucky Oaks, the Kentucky Derby, to be a part of it.
“It was incredible. We saw the race beforehand, me and Charlie spoke and said we thought we had to do our own run.
“You saw what she was, we didn’t think it was a problem for her. She’s real and she’s not simple.
“She is a beautiful filly and she may be a little longer.
“I think she could be (Oaks’ mare). It’s a race that everyone had in mind beforehand. We sit down and make plans. It was a great weekend for everyone.”
Cinderella’s dreams will bloom in the dahlia test
Cinderella’s dream shines on the Lowry Mile and was decently successful in the Betofred Darlia Stakes.
Bay was one of two Appleby-trained competitors in Group 2, and Buick’s chosen ride as Ryan Moore partnered with beautiful love.
The 11/8 favorite Cinderella dream wasn’t noticeable in the early stages of the race, having the entire field passing through the final furlong, but obviously she was happy to spend time and when asked to win the race she went comfortably from El Marca at a length of four and a half years.
Cinderella’s dream is heading towards the house of the Dahlia Stakes
Beautiful Love was three-quarters long, back to three-thirds.
Appleby said:
“We actually took her there, and to be honest with you, she wasn’t really, but she has thrived since she returned here.
“I was happy to see her do that, her job was very good at home and her lead horse was beautiful love, so when she was still waving the two of them, she quickly left, thinking I had to give her an office.
“Will said you don’t often travel to dip you’re still pulling.”
Cinderella’s dream was a Grade One winner in America last year, but she experienced an unfortunate half-length defeat at the Breeders’ Cup meeting.
He added: “The epic plan is to return from the Breeders’ Cup. She was unlucky on the Philly & Marley grass last year, and that’s once again the target.
“We usually send Philly to America, and she looks very good. I’m not familiar with the programme for them.
Falakeyah empowers the impressive clean Polly victory
Falakeyah made a big impression when she took a walk through the victory in the Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes, but trainer Owen Burrows issued a warning about her Oaks outlook.
Owned and bred by Shadwell, Philly got off to the second start of her career, and was riding Jim Crowley as a 6/4 favorite after winning a huge stint last year’s only boys race.
Falakeyah thrived in the cute Polly Stakes of Newmarket
She took the lead early in the contest and walked happily to get great advantage after a handful of furlongs.
That margin decreased in the closure stage, but when asked to crush again, the impressive bay was able to respond well and claimed an easy victory over the age of three years from life.
Burrows said: “You have to be very impressed with her. There was no real plan. We saw where she was going, as she is a big mare with a big step and we didn’t want to pull her out of it.
“She ended up setting her own fractions and did it the hard way.
“She won the only race in all weather, but her form didn’t work, but she is a well-balanced filly and she is very exciting.
“We’ll chat with Team Shadwell about what to do next, and Jim said exactly a mile and a half might be far enough for her.
“She showed us a level of fairness at home last year, so I trained her sister, Rowayeh, who always promised a lot, but was appreciated in the mid-’80s.
“She was a little lonely in front of me. She was a little tired.
Crawley said:
“Her maiden didn’t do well at all, but she was showing good speed, so I told Owen that she might not have gone too far yet.
“She’s a big girl with a big step and she really covers the ground. I was happy with how she won today when she was showing it at home.”
Story Horse (9/2) stayed slowly to win the Betofred Handicap for William Knight and Saffy Osborne.
He had to be hard enough to hold back the decisive challenge of the short-headed, blind BytheLights.
Knight said: “As we were watching, the owner said, ‘Is this not a plan?”
“Saffie said he was planning a B, C, D, but he had to be tough in the end there, that’s something you can’t train them.
“I tried Cesarewitch last year. It was too far, but I think he’ll get two miles if you can drop him.”
